FREE MOVEMENT : SWISS REFERENDUM RESONATES IN NORWAY.

• Position: Brief article

Inspired by Switzerland's initiative, the Progress Party (populist, right-wing and xenophobic), one of the two parties forming Norway's coalition government that has been in power since October, has now demanded a referendum to curb immigration particularly from EU member states. In the daily newspaper VG on 11 February, the partys' immigration policy spokesman, Mazyar Keshvari, pointed the finger at Polish and Lithuanian immigrants, who according to him "gladly bring their family here [Norway] when they discover they can get anything for free by residing here, including free health care" and other social security benefits.

However, the other party of the coalition - Prime Minister Erna Solberg's Conservative Party - has been pointing out 9 February that it is in favour of the free movement of people within the European Economic Area (EEA), which Norway has been a part of since 1994. This party was the main political force in favour of the accession of Norway to the EU, and...